Condensed Soup - Conference Highlights

            Thanks to Stacey, Tara, Dana, Beth, Anna and Betsy and all this blogging community for the Tuesday Slice of Life!  Looking forward to the March SOL Challenge!

             Here's a quick summary of some sessions I experienced at my conference. Because it includes hours of talk and listening, observing and participating, I can't "tell all".  I'm going to share some highlights, hence "condensed soup" and perhaps that will be enough, at least today. 

The Week Has Ended - Applause!

              This week, celebrating a good week of good times with Ruth Ayes at Discover, Play Build.  
                                                       Tweet at #CelebrateLu!

  

*My class worked hard all week preparing for their Expo displays. I was absent Thursday and Friday and had terrific help so that students could continue on. Here are a few things that happened: 

                 We used shower curtains to help a student set up a mock prison cell. He's studying prison architecture, focusing on those in solitary confinement and the differences between the US designs and that of other countries. 

                 One student created a triangular pyramid that will turn to show his work. He is studying bridge construction, and the earlier part of the unit was 'how-to' creations. Another is hanging her picture gallery of students she dressed and made-up to show the fashion changes throughout the 20th century. Still another created a photo display of public art in her neighborhood area (the one I happen to live in, too). Each photo lifts so that people can vote for a piece that is a favorite. In addition to the research work there have been beautiful backgrounds drawn and/or painted on different boards that connect with the research. I can't wait to share pictures after next week!

Past-Future Celebrating

              This week, celebrating what's past and what's on its way with Ruth Ayes at Discover, Play Build.  
                                                       Tweet at #CelebrateLu!

               I had a guest post/poem share on Thursday at Michelle H. Barnes' blog, Today's Little Ditty. You can find "What Does A Child Know" here. Everyone might want to write one of the 'deeper wisdom' poems. It wasn't easy, but fun!

               It was a good and busy, busy and good, did I say busy? kind of week.  Our Expo, time-to-share-learning-so-far-this-year evening is coming on Feb. 12th! Tri-folds and large foam core boards, boxy dioramas and paintings, bridge-building and cloning carrots all are in the mix. I am tired, but quite proud of the work accomplished all week, in the midst of other work like math, blogging, all kinds of sports games and music lessons, etc. We're on our way!  

Not Teaching In A Vacuum

        Thanks to the writers at Two Writing Teachers for hosting the slicing community!  Three more days before we begin the March Slice of Life Challenge. Are you ready?    I'm starting to take deep breaths every day, and collecting a few quotes to keep me going.  
             "Writing is easy. All you have to do is cross out the wrong words. Mark Twain

           It was such a pleasure to attend my state literacy conference. Here are a few additional ideas from the wonderful people whose sessions I attended.  It's a challenge to just write a few words for each. I think you should all just go to a conference if you can, and you'll experience the sessions for yourself.  Perhaps it will be with different people, but it'll be good, every time!  

I saw Regie Routman in the first keynote - my notes say, most important: Focus on the student--then celebrate, collaborate, simplify and strategize! She spoke and emphasized the importance of conferring. In fact, if I had to choose one word emphasized by nearly everyone, it was to confer, don't leave it out. And isn't that something that connects back to what has already been written, KNOW the student, FOCUS on the student?

Reading Conference - Rewards Plentiful

               Thanks to those writers at Two Writing Teachers for hosting those of us who are slicing about their lives!  And thanks to Betsy for this beautiful new graphic.  It seems like it'll be a boost for fresh looks at our lives.

                I just returned from our state reading conference, CCIRA, and what an immersion in all things focusing on students and teachers, teaching and literacy!  I experienced both kinds of exercise from Thursday on, walking for my body while listening, talking and reading for my brain!  I had the pleasure of seeing authors and talking with different exhibitors about books and about reading ideas they promoted through their materials.  This time, I want to focus on a couple of emotional highs that connected to the blogging community too, because I believe after reading your words for many months that you are these kinds of teachers I write about below. 

               Patricia Polacco spoke about life journeys, particularly her journey. 

Poetry Friday - A winner and poetry sessions at my Colorado literacy conference

                   Renée La Tulippe is our host today for Poetry Friday at beautiful No Water River. Enjoy the news about her online class!  I've read her post, and it sounds wonderful.  And, it seems that I won her giveaway from last week.  Such a delight to hear,  Renée!  Thank you, and for hosting!

I have a winner for my giveaway from last week for Catherine Johnson's new poetry book, Wierdo Zoo.  Here are the pics, the bowl of possibility, and the name I drew!  Ta Da!  

Congratulations, Keri.  Please e-mail me your address (find my e-mail on my profile) and I'll pass the information over to Catherine.

My slice of life - Anticipating!

Thanks to those writers at Two Writing Teachers, we share parts of our lives on our Tuesday slices. Link up to add your own story.

Slicing this week is full of lists and planning. I'm off to my state reading conference on Thursday, early in the am.  

         Since I'm filled to the brim with anticipation, it makes me pause to wonder how much we as teachers take for granted that students will be excited about a new activity, assignment, or trip?  What if we did something like producing a fun calendar or flier about something coming to the classroom?  What if we created a special song or rhyme that invited a certain tradition that occurred every week?  What if?  I know with the catalog, the e-mails, and all the advertising my reading association is sharing, I am really excited!  I am preparing for a positive experience!  I'm hoping to learn and to bring back ideas for colleagues!  We live in a world of marketing.  Is there a way to use some of the ideas marketers use with our students? At least it's something to contemplate?

Slicing Connections - And some links

           Tuesday Slice of Life is hosted by Two Writing Teachers, Stacey and Ruth every single Tuesday.  Please join us, and find out about the March Challenge—coming soon!  

If you're on twitter, tweet at #Slice2013!

              The first thing I need to acknowledge is that last week I left out an important thing that happened at the literacy conference I attended a week ago.  I was walking in the lobby, on my way to another session when this person, whom I’ve only seen pictures of, came towards me.  I had to say it, “Is that you, Carol?”  It was! Carol Wilcox, of Carol’s Corner, who wrote last week about a new friend, ME, so nicely.  We spoke for a little while, then had one other time to visit, but that was all for now.  We did discover we live fairly close to one another, and I know we’ll connect some time, but it was just lovely to see Carol in person, to ask about her sons whom I’ve read so much about, and be happy to hear their news, too.  I am looking forward to more!

         More connections are what I want to share about today. 

Learning From Some of the Best

Tuesday Slice of Life is hosted by Two WritingTeachers, Stacey and Ruth every single Tuesday.  Join us, and find out about the March Challenge—coming soon!  

If you're on twitter, tweet at #Slice2013!

            So, where do I begin telling about the CCIRA (Colorado Chapter of the International Reading Association) annual conference?  Shall I begin when I arose at 4am so I could get to the hotel and find a parking place instead of riding a shuttle?  Or when I registered and found the coffee shop because I then had a luxurious hour to sit, read and wait for the first session?          

             Furthermore, there is the challenge of sifting through so much information in order to choose what I think you would like to hear-inspiration or the nitty-gritty details?  I choose…

Time For Inspiration

Tuesday Slice of Life is hosted by Two Writing Teachers, Stacey and Ruth every single Tuesday.  Come check it out, and find out about the March Challenge!  If you're on twitter, tweet at #Slice2013!

            I'm going to whine a little bit, yet include about learning, too.  I am in the midst of preparing my old home ready for sale. I am tired of doing it, have talked thus far with a total of ten different people in order to accomplish this task, and some of those more than once.  E-mail, even texting, has aided me a lot in this journey, but actually getting to know those who are working for me seems important, so time learning about their work, how things work if needing repair, why they do what they do, how they came to Colorado or if they're natives is part of what we're discussing.